Alexander McKeever
@akmckeever.bsky.social
Amman-based New Yorker obsessed with Cape Breton (and Syria)
Author of This Week in Northern Syria newsletter, regular open sourced updates on northern Aleppo and SDF-controlled eastern Syria:
https://akmckeever.substack.com
Author of This Week in Northern Syria newsletter, regular open sourced updates on northern Aleppo and SDF-controlled eastern Syria:
https://akmckeever.substack.com
in Naba' IS claims to have assassinated a spy for the "apostate Syrian regime" in al-Bukamal, who previously worked for the [SDF]
November 28, 2025 at 11:02 AM
in Naba' IS claims to have assassinated a spy for the "apostate Syrian regime" in al-Bukamal, who previously worked for the [SDF]
debates over Suwayda's relationship with Damascus from about 90 years ago
November 26, 2025 at 5:33 PM
debates over Suwayda's relationship with Damascus from about 90 years ago
i ported my US number on google voice to keep it and now when my friend reacts to messages (his phone set to a hybrid english-lithuanian keyboard) it writes it out to me in lithuanian
November 26, 2025 at 3:51 PM
i ported my US number on google voice to keep it and now when my friend reacts to messages (his phone set to a hybrid english-lithuanian keyboard) it writes it out to me in lithuanian
"take our girls captive"
lot of really ugly stuff being posted on social media in response to today's protests on the coast
lot of really ugly stuff being posted on social media in response to today's protests on the coast
November 25, 2025 at 8:53 PM
"take our girls captive"
lot of really ugly stuff being posted on social media in response to today's protests on the coast
lot of really ugly stuff being posted on social media in response to today's protests on the coast
from what i can tell with mid range satellite imagery these are the current front lines (you can actually make out the pre-Dec one based on ground color)
last SDF checkpoint on Salamiyah road seems to be here 35.532576, 38.336934 (pic 2). and Resafa is within berms dugs this spring
last SDF checkpoint on Salamiyah road seems to be here 35.532576, 38.336934 (pic 2). and Resafa is within berms dugs this spring
November 22, 2025 at 10:18 PM
from what i can tell with mid range satellite imagery these are the current front lines (you can actually make out the pre-Dec one based on ground color)
last SDF checkpoint on Salamiyah road seems to be here 35.532576, 38.336934 (pic 2). and Resafa is within berms dugs this spring
last SDF checkpoint on Salamiyah road seems to be here 35.532576, 38.336934 (pic 2). and Resafa is within berms dugs this spring
DoD now using the name 'Northern Landing Zone' for the Qasrak/Jabal Ghul base in NW al-Hasakah. Reports that US presence has largely consolidated to three bases in al-Hasakah: NLZ, Rumeilan Landing Zone (RLZ), and Patrol Base al-Shaddadi (PBS)
www.dvidshub.net/image/940506...
36.706242, 40.511955
www.dvidshub.net/image/940506...
36.706242, 40.511955
November 22, 2025 at 11:55 AM
DoD now using the name 'Northern Landing Zone' for the Qasrak/Jabal Ghul base in NW al-Hasakah. Reports that US presence has largely consolidated to three bases in al-Hasakah: NLZ, Rumeilan Landing Zone (RLZ), and Patrol Base al-Shaddadi (PBS)
www.dvidshub.net/image/940506...
36.706242, 40.511955
www.dvidshub.net/image/940506...
36.706242, 40.511955
The civilian and commercial crossings btw Gov't/SDF
Orange:
-Deir Hafir (Aleppo), closed by the Gov't since early last month
-Ithriyah road (Raqqah), same as above
-Ma'dan (Raqqah), closed by the Gov't this morning
Green:
-Deir ez-Zour, open
Red:
-M4/Qaraqozak bridge, closed all year (since Dec)
Orange:
-Deir Hafir (Aleppo), closed by the Gov't since early last month
-Ithriyah road (Raqqah), same as above
-Ma'dan (Raqqah), closed by the Gov't this morning
Green:
-Deir ez-Zour, open
Red:
-M4/Qaraqozak bridge, closed all year (since Dec)
November 20, 2025 at 4:38 PM
The civilian and commercial crossings btw Gov't/SDF
Orange:
-Deir Hafir (Aleppo), closed by the Gov't since early last month
-Ithriyah road (Raqqah), same as above
-Ma'dan (Raqqah), closed by the Gov't this morning
Green:
-Deir ez-Zour, open
Red:
-M4/Qaraqozak bridge, closed all year (since Dec)
Orange:
-Deir Hafir (Aleppo), closed by the Gov't since early last month
-Ithriyah road (Raqqah), same as above
-Ma'dan (Raqqah), closed by the Gov't this morning
Green:
-Deir ez-Zour, open
Red:
-M4/Qaraqozak bridge, closed all year (since Dec)
I forgot about this controversial mosque that opened up in Idlib last year
November 18, 2025 at 8:51 PM
I forgot about this controversial mosque that opened up in Idlib last year
seemingly confirmed years later that this was Turan Tugayi
November 14, 2025 at 10:14 AM
seemingly confirmed years later that this was Turan Tugayi
Apparently no one in the last 9 years has changed the al-Bab highway sign that still reads "Wilayat al-Barakah," the Islamic State name for al-Hasakah governorate
t.me/ehtemlat2/60...
t.me/ehtemlat2/60...
November 9, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Apparently no one in the last 9 years has changed the al-Bab highway sign that still reads "Wilayat al-Barakah," the Islamic State name for al-Hasakah governorate
t.me/ehtemlat2/60...
t.me/ehtemlat2/60...
Sharaa and Shaibani's shots look like shit tbh
November 9, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Sharaa and Shaibani's shots look like shit tbh
Cizre 1938 - photo taken by French Army aircraft from about the Syria border looking NNE
November 9, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Cizre 1938 - photo taken by French Army aircraft from about the Syria border looking NNE
1941 US Army map of southern al-Raqqah/Resafa badiyah
November 9, 2025 at 12:39 PM
1941 US Army map of southern al-Raqqah/Resafa badiyah
One of my aunts - a gym teacher on Long Island - has taken to using her Instagram account to promote hockey-themed gay (sorry, ‘double bi-awakening’) romance novels. My brother asked her if she knew we can all see it and she said she doesn’t care. Not sure what my uncle thinks
November 6, 2025 at 1:18 PM
One of my aunts - a gym teacher on Long Island - has taken to using her Instagram account to promote hockey-themed gay (sorry, ‘double bi-awakening’) romance novels. My brother asked her if she knew we can all see it and she said she doesn’t care. Not sure what my uncle thinks
mast as seen from the southwest
t.me/radiorojava/...
t.me/radiorojava/...
November 4, 2025 at 1:49 PM
mast as seen from the southwest
t.me/radiorojava/...
t.me/radiorojava/...
Erdogan portrait along with Turkish and Suleiman Shah flags (flags might be temporary) taken down at al-Sheikh Hadid roundabout, Ottoman seal on the billboard in the background gone as well
November 4, 2025 at 1:41 PM
Erdogan portrait along with Turkish and Suleiman Shah flags (flags might be temporary) taken down at al-Sheikh Hadid roundabout, Ottoman seal on the billboard in the background gone as well
SDF member climbed the TV mast on MT. Qarachok for a view of the Derik countryside and the network of SDF headquarters on and around the mountain (strategic depth vs. IS, less so vs. Turkey)
37.064101, 42.159784
37.064101, 42.159784
October 31, 2025 at 6:12 AM
SDF member climbed the TV mast on MT. Qarachok for a view of the Derik countryside and the network of SDF headquarters on and around the mountain (strategic depth vs. IS, less so vs. Turkey)
37.064101, 42.159784
37.064101, 42.159784
Aldar Xelil with horse painting
October 29, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Aldar Xelil with horse painting
October 28, 2025 at 11:46 AM
Division 82: Brig. Gen. Khalid al-Halabi (Ansar al-Tawhid), Hama
Division 84: Brig. Gen. Abdulaziz Dawud Hudaberdi (Turkistan Islamic Party), Latakia
Division 86: Brig. Gen. Ahmad al-Hayyes (SNA - Furqat Ahrar al-Sharqiyah), Deir ez-Zour
Division 98: Brig. Gen. ‘Abd al-Basit al-Jamal (HTS), Idlib
Division 84: Brig. Gen. Abdulaziz Dawud Hudaberdi (Turkistan Islamic Party), Latakia
Division 86: Brig. Gen. Ahmad al-Hayyes (SNA - Furqat Ahrar al-Sharqiyah), Deir ez-Zour
Division 98: Brig. Gen. ‘Abd al-Basit al-Jamal (HTS), Idlib
October 28, 2025 at 11:27 AM
Division 82: Brig. Gen. Khalid al-Halabi (Ansar al-Tawhid), Hama
Division 84: Brig. Gen. Abdulaziz Dawud Hudaberdi (Turkistan Islamic Party), Latakia
Division 86: Brig. Gen. Ahmad al-Hayyes (SNA - Furqat Ahrar al-Sharqiyah), Deir ez-Zour
Division 98: Brig. Gen. ‘Abd al-Basit al-Jamal (HTS), Idlib
Division 84: Brig. Gen. Abdulaziz Dawud Hudaberdi (Turkistan Islamic Party), Latakia
Division 86: Brig. Gen. Ahmad al-Hayyes (SNA - Furqat Ahrar al-Sharqiyah), Deir ez-Zour
Division 98: Brig. Gen. ‘Abd al-Basit al-Jamal (HTS), Idlib